Pharmacy Technician

Description:

Pharmacy Technicians at this level are nationally certified and can work autonomously using independent judgment to perform a full range of duties at the Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System. These pharmacy technicians mentor and train lower-graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting. They assist advanced/ specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives.

Requirements:

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements :

• Citizenship . Be a citizen of the United States.
• Education or Experience .
  1. None required.
  2. For all grade levels and positions that accept both education and experience to qualify, equivalent combinations of qualifying education and experience that total at least 100% are qualifying. The combined percentage is determined by adding total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level to the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level.
• Certification . For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
  1. Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR
  2. National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
• English Language Proficiency . Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for appointment, VA HR staff must use the following criteria to determine the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Pharmacy Technician, GS-7

1. Experience . Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6).
2. Certification . For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
   1. PTCB as a CPhT. OR
   2. NHA as a ExCPT.
3. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) . In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
   • Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work.
   • Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent.
   • Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans and external customers.
   • Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students.
   • Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution.
   • Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases.

Preferred Experience: Hospital experience preferred.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the GS-7.

Physical Requirements: Moderate or extended periods of sitting, standing, walking, bending, stooping, stretching, reaching, lifting, pushing, and pulling. This occasionally involves lifting moderately heavy items (30 pounds). The employee must possess average agility and dexterity.